“My mom says worry is like a leaky faucet–every drip makes you imagine something bad on the way… trouble… trouble… trouble… do something… do something… do something.”

From Gennifer Choldenko’s No Passengers Beyond This Point.

For siblings India, Finn, and Mouse, the last 24-hours have been very hectic… even more hectic than normal. After losing their home, their mom informs the kids that she’s going to put them on a plane and that they’re going to fly to Colorado to stay with Uncle Red tonight.  The kids aren’t thrilled to go there tonight, however, when they land the three young travelers land and are picked up by a mysterious driver that has never heard of Uncle Red, things take a quick turn.  When the driver drops the kids off at a place that is definitely not with Red, each siblings finds that they have watches that are counting down from different points, and when their time runs out they’ll be stuck there forever.  The initial push to figure this strange place out sort of fades into the background for India, Finn, and Mouse as the people, places, and things hold an odd and often unexplainable pull.  The strangeness begins to pull the siblings apart, but as time starts running out, they realize that they’ll only be able to escape if they work together.

This fantasy adventure is an interesting trip into a reality-bending story that will keep readers of all ages engaged.  Some aspects of the story feel a bit choppy, but overall, Choldenko weaves the characters, settings, and happenings all together at the novel’s end to compliment the story.  No Passengers Beyond This Point is an interesting read for middle-age child readers searching for an original, mysterious read.